Retired Pastors

[David073]

I understand that Teaching Elders are the only ones qualified to preach God’s word from the pulpit, but what of retired pastors who hold no church office? Thanks!

 

[Taylor]

I suppose it depends on the denomination and their particular order. In the OPC, a retired minister can still preach and (I believe) administer the sacraments. We have a couple retired ministers in our presbytery who are quite active. (Also, in most Presbyterian denominations, ministers are not the only ones permitted to preach. Those who have been licensed may, as well.)

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I suppose it depends on the denomination and their particular order. In the OPC, a retired minister can still preach and (I believe) administer the sacraments. We have a couple retired ministers in our presbytery who are quite active. (Also, in most Presbyterian denominations, ministers are not the only ones permitted to preach. Those who have been licensed may, as well.)

It's similar in the PCA. My late sister's husband retired (new pastor is installed in a week) but remains a member of presbytery rather than a local church so he can preach and administer the sacraments when need arises.

 

[beloved7]

I understand that Teaching Elders are the only ones qualified to preach God’s word from the pulpit, but what of retired pastors who hold no church office? Thanks!

In RB circles, anyone who the church deems fit and has the gift of preaching may serve as pulpit supply.

 

[Edward]

so he can preach and administer the sacraments when need arises.

Retired ministers can be particularly useful in supplying small churches that can't afford a full time pastor. And in the old days, retired ministers frequesntly served as "stated supply" to churches that were between pastors. "Interim" tends to be the preferred term in the PCA these days.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Retired ministers can be particularly useful in supplying small churches that can't afford a full time pastor. And in the old days, retired ministers frequesntly served as "stated supply" to churches that were between pastors. "Interim" tends to be the preferred term in the PCA these days.

Actually, "stated supply" and "interim pastors" are different. "Stated supply" is just a form of "pulpit supply" - namely, that a singular person has been identified and appointed to fill the pulpit. But showing up and preaching is the sole duty of "stated supply." There is no legitimate expectation that a stated supply preacher go and visit shut-ins or meet with the SS teachers to plan the fall, etc. On the other hand, "interim pastor" fulfills all the roles and responsibilities of a pastor, just on a temporary basis.

People may disagree - but the best interim pastors see it has a ministry of helping a church prepare itself for a new pastor. This might entail dealing with some glaring issues or perhaps getting the former pastor out of their system. Yet most interim pastors seem to think either that the way to go is to pretend they're in a canoe: do whatever you can to not rock the boat, or they forget that their role is inherently short-term and temporary.

 

[iainduguid]

In the PCA BCO Index, for "Interim Pastor" it says "see Stated Supply". By that it means that an interim pastor is one of several situations in which a Presbytery may approve a temporary pastoral relationship. Another would be a rural church that cannot afford to call a permanent pastor. The PCA also has categories of "Student supply" and "Ruling Elder supply"; these are all examples of the important Presbyterian category of "Irregular", which allows us to sanction things that aren't exactly as they should be but are the best we can manage in the meantime, without making them permanent.

Most Presbyterian churches have categories of "Honorably Retired", as well as "Without Call" and "Laboring out of bounds" which cover men who are ordained and under the oversight of that Presbytery but who are not currently serving churches. There are different rules for each category.